Tag Archives: finding God

Have you ever searched for….. that still, quiet place of utter bliss? That place where you can gather your thoughts and focus on what is most important, rather than all that is urgent? That place where you can commune with your creator and leave refreshed and full of peace? I needed to find this place, and was reminded (by a three year old) where to find it.

Life around here lately has been anything but quiet. (Thus, my hiatus from writing) In February, our oldest daughter, son-in-law and their three children put their house on the market. They need to move closer to the city in order to be closer to their ministry. Their house sold immediately (good news) and the buyers wished to move in the following month (March.) Our kids had no place to live…so we invited them to move in with us while they searched for a house.

After a difficult search they found a place, however the sellers of their new place are not able to move out until the end of July. Oh, did I mention our kids also have a dog named Reilley? (More to come on him in future posts.) Seven humans, three dogs and one house make for a lively and loud place of abode. One of the most “special” moments comes when one of the children cries. Reilley, at the sound of a child in distress, howls at the top of his lungs. This sparks our little dog to join in to make a duet…no, make that a trio (one crying child and two howling dogs.) It is quite something to behold. If I catch this moment on video it is sure to go viral. I’ve never heard anything quite like it. And Reilley barks… a lot.

Honestly, it has been fun and a true joy to spend this time together as extended family. I love my family and am so grateful for all of them. However, to be honest, I sometimes just long for quiet.

Now that it’s spring I can go outside. But wait…. when I go outside things get even louder. Our house is at the end of a dead end street, abutting a park. Tennis courts and soccer fields are directly across the street from our front yard. When we moved to this house years ago this was a quiet park. Now, the whole town shows up here. High school tennis matches (complete with big yellow busses parked in our front yard,) soccer meets, lacrosse games, softball games and accompanying practices happen here every day in the spring and fall. Sometimes, when I step outside, I feel like I’m arriving at a carnival.

I read (with new vigor) about a day in the life of Jesus as captured in the first few chapters of the gospel of Mark. I stand in awe of Jesus’ compassionate, giving and selfless ways. In this account, after being with people everywhere, he tried to get to a quiet place to pray only to be met with more people needing his healing touch. He kept his purpose in clear view…as he kept giving to people and preaching the good news. I find his attitude and actions deeply convicting, yet utterly inspiring. I long to react like him more often, and to be continually filled with his love ( which he promises to pour into my heart when I run out -thank you!)

And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. Rom. 5:5

(read the verses before and after as well. They are super helpful)

So, back to the lesson from a three year old. Sunday afternoon my three year old grandson rode home with us from church. While we were in traffic, he marveled at all of the “quiet wilderness” outside. Amidst the traffic, he was looking at trees on the side of the rode. This reminded me of a similar time I was with him last year. We were amidst a group of people in someone’s yard and he stepped just a few steps away from the group, across the lawn into an adjacent vacant lot dotted with some trees. He called me over, looked up at me and asked me to listen as he said, “Nana, sshhhhh….we are in the quiet wilderness.”

I reflected on this lesson and how close the “quiet wilderness” can be to us even when we are in loud, crazy conditions. The “quiet wilderness” can be steps away and yet we can miss it. (The “quiet wilderness” could have been a bathroom at work, a closet, the car…) With that thought in mind, I went into my room closed my door to pray. Alas, I came out to put barking Reilley in his crate….then went back to try to put into practice the scriptures:

“Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth. Psalm 46:10

“The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love….” Zeph. 3:17

Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” Mark 6:31

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. [29] Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Mt. 11:28-29

When I came out of my “quiet wilderness” I was finally able to quit feeling sorry for myself. I was once again refreshed and at peace. I’m thankful a little child reminded me to go to the “quiet wilderness” and that Jesus was waiting there for me.

This week my work has taken me out of the country. As I prepared for my travels I learned I needed to change a few settings on my phone in order to avoid exorbitant data roaming fees. I also programmed settings allowing me to make calls and send and receive texts via global roaming (all for a slight fee). The fact that I can speak into my phone, and someone in a far off country can read what I just spoke involves sound waves and laws of physics and nature that some very smart people have learned how to use. (And, if I used the data available I could even press another button that translates what I wrote into another language!) Understanding how all this works, to me, is like understanding another dimension. Some things just boggle my mind. I can somewhat begin to grasp how this functions, but can’t even fathom the “whys” behind the “hows”. The workings of the laws of physics behind the laws that must be harnessed, used and relied upon to make these things work are too wonderful to me.

We had breakfast yesterday morning with a German disciple who is a world-renowned professor of physics. His deep understanding of physical science has only increased his amazement toward and faith in the Creator of it all. I learn from God’s speaking to Job:

Job 38:1Then the Lord answered Job out of the storm. He said:….

Job 38:31-35“Can you bind the beautiful Pleiades? Can you loose the cords of Orion? [32] Can you bring forth the constellations in their seasons or lead out the Bear with its cubs? [33] Do you know the laws of the heavens? Can you set up God’s dominion over the earth?

[34] “Can you raise your voice to the clouds and cover yourself with a flood of water? [35] Do you send the lightning bolts on their way? Do they report to you, ‘Here we are’?

Job 42:1-3Then Job replied to the Lord:

[2] “I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted. [3] You asked, ‘Who is this that obscures my counsel without knowledge?’ Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know.

I take comfort in knowing God has perfect global roaming. I count on this as I am here and have seen several specific prayers answered that I have prayed for the churches over here. Specifically, that God would help bring a revival in the youth and campus ministries. I am so amazed at God as I’ve heard of numerous teens getting baptized as well as God providing some campus disciples who “just showed up” here from other countries.

Yesterday I received two texts from my family informing me that in the same evening my oldest granddaughter had broken her arm and that my youngest grandson had been transported from the doctor’s office to the hospital by ambulance because of the severity of a croup attack, that had come on suddenly. It feels helpless to be where I can’t “do anything but pray”. And yet I realize that often prayer is the most important thing I can do! I count on the fact that though I am miles away, my prayers reach God and can touch the lives of those in another country. What a comfort! What an amazing God. The power of prayer is way more wonderful than global roaming.

Ephes. 6:18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.

Philip. 4:6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

Col. 4:12Epaphras, who is one of you and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends greetings. He is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured.

1 Thes. 5:17 pray continually;

1 Peter 3:12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”The photo is the German sky above where I was just praying alongside a corn field. Today when you look into the sky I hope you see more than just a blue expansive slate…..Marvel at the great God who has ordered creation, and who can hear and act upon our prayers no matter where we are. Our prayers can make more difference than we can know.

Like this:

I must confess this web site construction is currently “over my head.” I’ve googled “web sites for dummies” and read some blogs about starting them. I’m swimming into unknown waters and about to get a headache from so much reading. However, I’m determined to “make a go” at this thing. I’ve found that sharing things I’m learning from the Scriptures is not only helpful to others, but also to me. That’s what this site is about – sharing scriptures.

Yesterday morning in our “early service” (I’m teaching the kindergarten Sunday school class this term) we looked at Mark 2:1-5.A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. [2] So many gathered that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them. [3] Some men came, bringing to him a paralytic, carried by four of them. [4] Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus and, after digging through it, lowered the mat the paralyzed man was lying on. [5] When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”

Today I did a lot of “spiritual activity.” Somewhere in there I believe I tried to “get to Jesus.” However, I will challenge myself to ask how much daily effort I will make to “dig through the roof” so to speak – to get to Jesus. I’m determined to not just dig…but to let the digging always lead me to the person of Jesus. Without him I’m spiritually paralyzed.